Draft and steering gear for vehicles.



No. 822,145 EATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

P. W. MARTIN.

DRAFT AND STEERING GEAR FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 001 28, 1905,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l" auvemfoz PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

P. W. MARTIN. ST

DRAFT AND BERING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION IIL ED 0UT.28, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FWM.

rnNNELL w. MARTIN, OF LAKE EUNICE, MINNESOTA.

onAFr' AND sreeeiae ease as VEldl@l- E$ No. see, 1451 Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented May 29, 1906.

Application filed October 28,1905. Serial No 284.897.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, PENNELL W. MARTIN, a

- citizen of the United States of America, residin at Lake Eunice, in the county of Becker construction of draft appliance and steeringear bv which the draft-animal may be vehicle, but tends to de hitched to pull in the center line of the vehicle or oneither side of said line to suit the character or condition of the road without when the animal is arranged on one side of the center line, reducing what is ordinarily called ,side pu l or side draft, which not only throws undue strain u on the animal and heat the vehicle from a straight course. v

Another object of my invention is to adapt the vehicle to. steer easily in either direction irrespective of the position of the draft-animal and without interference between the shaft or animal and the front or steering wheels and, further, to provide a steering mechanism which may be advantagously em- ,ploped upon all vehicles drawn by draft-anima s.

In many sections it is difficult for the draftanimal to travel in the center of the road,

owing to the bad character and condition of such portion of the road from the presence of vehicle embodying my invention, one of the steering-wheels being partially broken away to better disclose the construction. a top plan view of a portion of the vehicle frame and the draft ap liance and steeringgear, showing such app lance and gear as ar ranged in making a turn. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the front frame bars or rods and the bearings for the couplingbracket applied thereto, ing in side elevation; and Fig. d is a etail view of one of the pivot-bolts for connecting the thills with the coupling-bracket.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the body of a vehicle, and 2 the reach-bars of the frame thereof, which bars support a stationary front axle 3, and 4 designates the front or steering wheels mounted upon spindles at the ends of the axle, which's indles are pivotally'com,

nected with the ax e, as indicated at 5, to permit the wheels to swing for steering purposes without movement of the axle.

The reach-bars 2 have extensions 6, which project forwardly beyond the axle and above which are arranged braces or frame-pieces 7, which project over the axle and are secured in rear of the same to the reach-bars and terminate at, their forward ends in alinement with the ends of the extensions 6, the end] of each extension being connectedwith the end of the superposed 'brace or frame member by a connecting pin or bolt 8. The forward end of the body 1 may be supported in any preferred manner, but is here shown as mounted upon a spring 9, having its ends,

Fig. 2 is' stumps and other ob'ects or from defective drainage, the sides of the road being better ada ted to travel, especially where beaten at s are formed by draft-animals of twoorse vehicles. My invention rovides simple and efiective means which wil enable the single draft-animal of buggies and other vehicles to be hitched to travel at one side of. the road,

while the vehicle runs inits usual path, without the objections incident to draft devices -of the character heretofore employed for this extending between the reach-bars and frame pielces 7 and connected with the ends of the ax e.

The rear ends of the thills 10 are joined by a cross piece or bow 11 and in advance thereof by a cross-bar 12, to which is pivoted an ordinary form of swingletree 13. The cross piece or'bow 11 is formed on op osite 10o: sides of its center with openin s for t e reception of pivot-bolts 14, which bolts are provided at their rear ends with eyes 15, pivpurpose. I

In the appended descri tion I have described, as shown in the rawings, thills as the draft appliance em. loyed; but it will of course be understood t at a pole or tongue maIy also be used.

the drawings hereto annexed and form ing partcf this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the forward portion of a otally engaging the reduced ends of a cross- ,pin 16 and retained in engagement therewith y nuts 17, this construction permitting the thills to be swung upward to a vertical position and to have the necessary vertical play to conform to the movements of the draft-animal.

The cross-pin 16 forms part of a' coupling and steering mechanism, which bracket con sists in addition to said pin of a su portingarm 18, upon the upper end of whic thepin is formed and. having a rearwardly-curved lower end fixed to a vertical pinti'e or pivotpin 19, journaled at its upper and lower ends 1n bearing members 20, having apertured ears 2], for the passageof bolts 22, which fasten the same to the frame rods or bars 23, fixed at their ends to the pins 8, the thills .ro being thus adapted. to swing on the pin 19 as an axis laterally in either direction to control the steering mechanism, as hereinafter described. The frame rods or bars 23-two in number--are arranged one above the other and are provided with registering series of openings 24 for the passage of the'bolts 22 to enable the coupling-bracket to be fastened thereto to bring the thills or draft appliance in the center line of the body or at one side tl'iereof, the present arrangement of the holes si'iowing the thili adapted for application to the left of the center line, so that the draftanimal may travel on that side of the road. The reach extension and frame-piece 7 at the 25 left side of the frame are preferably made somewhat longer than the corresponding parts at the right side of the frame in order that the thills when arranged at the left of the center line will stand far enough in ad- 0 Vance of the left steeringewheel to prevent either the thills or the drai'tanimals coming in contact with said wheel when a turn to the left is made. It will of course be understood that the arrangement of the holes 24 and other parts may be such as to permit the draft ap liance to be fastened on the right side of t e center line or interchangeably on either side, as desired. i

The coupling-bracket is com leted by an 4o arm 25, extending rearwardly Tom the pin 19 and. apertured at its rear end for the passage of a pin or bolt 26 to engage any one of a series of holes 27 in a steering bar or lever 28, normally arranged diagonally with rela- 5 tion to the trams and pivotally connected at its rear end to the outer end of an arm 28, projecting from the right-hand whcel-spin dle, which arm 28 is similarly connected to a corresponding a m 29, fixed to the left-hand o spindle by a tralisvprse connectiiig-rod 30 to *adapt the two spindles when motion is tians ferred thereto by the lever 28 to swing in opposite directions in unison. it will be seen that when the thills [0 swing to the right or left on the pivot 19 motion will be communicated through the arm 25 to the lever 28 to turn. the wheels accordingly and that the scries of openings L7 permit the arm 25 to be pivotally connected with said lover to com pensatc for a variation in position of the bearing members 20 on the l'ramcbars 23.

The construction and mode of operation of my improved draft and steering mechanism will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the seams drawings, and it will be seen that the use of the stationary axle and pivcta'lly-supported steering-wheels permits of the a plication of the draft appliance upon one si e of the center line without side 1111, as by making the axle stationary and t 1e wheels movable the pulling strain will be distributed to the wheels and transferred to the ground in such manner as to prevent side pull upon 'the shafts and animal and a tendenc to lateral deflection of the vehicle from its direct course of travel. it will be further seen that the draft and steering construction may be em ployed, if desired, without the necessity of making the thills or other draft appliance employed adjustable.

' Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is,-

I. In a vehicle, a stationary axle, wheeled supporting spindles pivotally connected thereto and provided with rearwardly-extending arms, a rod pivotally connecting said arms, an angularly-arran ed steering-bar pivoted at one end to once the arms in rear of the pivotal connection of the rod there with, and a draft appliance pivotally mounted u on the frame of the vehicle in advance of t e axle and connected with the other end of the bar.

2. In a vehicle, a stationary axle, spindles pivotally mounted thereon, a connection between the spindles arranged in rear of the axle to adapt them to swing in unison, a diagonally-arranged bar operatively attached at one end to said connections, and a draft ap pliance pivotally mounted upon the frame in advance of the axle and connected with the opposite end of said bar.

3. in a vehicle, a stationary axle, Wheeled supporting spindles pivotally connected thereto, connections including a lever for swinging said spindles,and a draft appliance pivotally mounted upon the frame in advance of the axle, said a pliance being adjustably connected with the frame and lever.

4. In a vehicle, a stationary axle, spindles pivotally connected therewith, connections for sinmltaneously swinging said spindles including a diagonally-arranged lever, and a draft appliance pivotally connected with the frame of the vehicle in advance of the axle,

said appliance being adjustable at anangle transversely of the frame to vary the line of draft and ad justably connected. with the lever.

5. .111 a vehicle, a stationary axle, wheeled supporting spindles pivotally connected therewith and provider with rearwzirdly-extending arms, a connecting-rod joining said arms, a diagonally-arrangcd operating-bar pivotall y connected at its rear end with one of the arms in rear of the oint of connection. of the rod therewith, and pivotally mounted upon the frame in advance of the axle, said appliance being ada draft appliance seams i g;

justably connected with the frame and forward end of the bar to vary the line of draft.

6. In a vehicle, a stationary axle having pivoted s indies, connecting means between the spin es arranged in rear of the axle, a draft appliance pivotally mounted upon the frame n advance of the axle, and a diagonally-arran 'ed bar ivotally connected at its forward end with t e draft a liance and at its rear end with the spindfe connecting means.

7.; In a vehicle, a stationary axle, spindles pivotally connected therewith, the frame of the vehicle being provided-"with a supporting portion arranged in advance of the axle and at an angle thereto, a draft appliance adjustably mounted upon said supporting portion to vary the line of draft, and lever mechanism connecting said draft appliance with the splindles.

8. n a vehicle, a stationary axle, spindles pivotally connected therewith, connecting means between the spindles arranged'in rear of the axle, the frame of the vehicle being provided in advance of the axle with a supporting portion disposed. at an angle thereto,

a diagonallyarranged bar pivotally connected at its rear end with the spindle-connecting means, and a draftapplianee adjustably mounted upon the inclined portion of the frame and adjustably connected with the forward end of the bar.

9. In a vehicle, reach-bars carrying a station ary axle and provided with extensionarms projecting in superposed relation in ad' Vance of. the axle, transverse frame-bars connected with said arms, a draft appliance, a bracket connected therewith and pivotally connected with the frame-bars and provided with a rearwardly-extending arm, spindles pivoted to the axle and provided witnrearwardly extending arms, a connecting a rod uniting said arms, and a bar pivotally connected at its rear end to one of said arms and at its forward end to the arm of the bracket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

PENNELL W. MARTIN. Witnesses i A. G. WEDGE, W. B. CARMAN. 

